Glenn Youngkin | FFXnow

Published November 13, 2023 at 3:30PM | Updated November 13, 2023 at 4:09PM

The current FBI headquarters in D.C. (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 4:10 p.m.) Virginia’s elected leaders may not agree on issues like abortion access or education, but they remain united by the conviction that the Commonwealth would be a better host than Maryland for the FBI.

After coming together to pitch a Springfield warehouse as the best site for the law enforcement agency’s new headquarters, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin joined Democratic senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Virginia’s bipartisan House delegation last Thursday (Nov. 9) to blast the federal government for awarding the facility to Prince George’s County instead.

Countywide

Fairfax County judge weighing fate of suit over Youngkin’s carbon market withdrawal

By Charlie Paullin / Virginia Mercury

Published October 31, 2023 at 11:45AM

The Fairfax County Courthouse (file photo)

A Fairfax County judge is weighing whether to throw out a lawsuit from environmental groups challenging Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s effort to remove Virginia from a regional carbon market.

Judge David Oblon heard oral arguments from Virginia Solicitor General Andrew Ferguson and Southern Environmental Law Center Senior Attorney Nate Benforado Friday morning in Fairfax Circuit Court. The hearing, which lasted about 30 minutes, concluded with the judge saying he would take the case under advisement before issuing a written decision.

Countywide

Virginia begins crafting new plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

By Charlie Paullin / Virginia Mercury

Published October 5, 2023 at 11:45AM

Smoke coming out of a power plant (via Ella Ivanescu/Unsplash)

Virginia is beginning to create plans for how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the primary driver of climate change, on a state and regional basis thanks to millions of dollars from the federal government.

This June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded about $6 million in grants to Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality, regional planning organizations in Northern Virginia, Richmond and Hampton Roads and the Monacan Indian Nation to create two plans.

Countywide

FCPS pledges to protect gender-expansive students by not adopting Virginia’s ‘model policies’

By Vivian Hoang

Published August 16, 2023 at 11:45AM

Students hold trans rights and LGBTQ Pride flag signs at a rally protesting Virginia's model policies on transgender students outside Luther Jackson Middle School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Fairfax County Public Schools has officially announced that it will not implement the Virginia Department of Education’s recently finalized model policies regarding transgender and nonbinary students.

Yesterday (Tuesday), FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid released a statement confirming that FCPS won’t adopt the new guidelines after a “detailed legal review” found that its current policies are “consistent” with state and federal law.

Countywide

Local environmental group joins challenge to Virginia’s withdrawal from carbon-reducing initiative

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 2, 2023 at 3:00PM | Updated August 2, 2023 at 8:52PM

Smoke coming out of a power plant (via Ella Ivanescu/Unsplash)

Several environmental groups, including one based in Fairfax County, have joined forces to challenge Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s decision to pull Virginia out of a cross-state initiative aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

The Southern Environmental Law Center announced on Monday (July 31) that it will appeal Virginia’s planned withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a market of 12 states on the East Coast that regulates carbon emissions from power generators.

Countywide

FCPS leaders voice support for transgender students despite new Virginia policies

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 19, 2023 at 3:00PM

Fairfax High School students stage a walkout to protest Virginia's proposed policies restricting transgender and gender-nonconfirming students' rights (courtesy Pride Liberation Project)

After months of review, the Virginia Department of Education has released a final set of policies guiding public schools on how to treat transgender students — including many that contradict the policies currently used by Fairfax County Public Schools.

Released Tuesday (July 18), the “model policies” generally direct schools to require that students use names, pronouns and facilities, such as bathrooms, based on their legal sex as designated in their official school records. All local public school systems are obligated by state law to adopt a version of the policies.

News

Virginia Republican and Democrat leaders rally for common goal: beating Maryland in FBI HQ battle

By Vernon Miles

Published February 14, 2023 at 3:00PM | Updated March 24, 2023 at 2:37PM

The General Services Administration Warehouse in Springfield, potential site of the FBI's new headquarters (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

In an unusual show of bipartisan unity, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin will attend a press conference tomorrow (Wednesday) with Democratic senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and other elected leaders to rally for a Northern Virginia FBI headquarters.

A release from Warner’s office said the elected leaders will hold a press conference in Springfield to lay out the case for bringing the proposed headquarters to Fairfax County.

Countywide

Fairfax County asks state for money to help offset cutting car tax

By Matt Blitz

Published January 27, 2023 at 11:45AM

A car on Sunrise Valley Drive passes the Innovation Metro station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County is again asking the state for money to offset anticipated reductions in resident vehicle tax payments.

At a meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 24), the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a letter written by Chairman Jeff McKay for Gov. Glenn Youngkin, asking him to include money in his budget for localities to blunt the impact of a 15% decrease in car tax revenue.

News

Vegan cheese manufacturer Armored Fresh to expand Tysons headquarters

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 17, 2023 at 1:30PM

The South Korean cheese company Armored Fresh at CES 2023 in Las Vegas (via Armored Fresh Inc.)

A South Korean company that makes cheese out of almond milk hopes to ramp up its U.S. presence, starting with an expansion of its American headquarters in Tysons.

Armored Fresh has committed $125,000 to expanding its offices at 1765 Greensboro Station Place with 27 new marketing and sales employees, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced today.

Countywide

Youngkin calls for investigation of Thomas Jefferson HS over delayed student award notices

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 3, 2023 at 3:00PM | Updated January 3, 2023 at 4:34PM

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 4:30 p.m.) An outcry stoked by conservative activists over Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) allegedly failing to promptly announce a student academic honor has reached the Virginia governor’s office.

In a letter released this morning (Tuesday), Gov. Glenn Youngkin urged Attorney General Jason Miyares to investigate the Fairfax County magnet school after it reportedly didn’t notify students commended by the National Merit Scholarship Program until after early college applications were due.